seller sent wrong item...wants me to pay return postage...

[bicyclewhisperer]

Hi all.  Lat week I bought a set of 4 black printer ink cartridges. I recieved 1 x black and 3 x colour instead. I contacted the seller who admitted their error, and suggested I just keep and use the colour ones or send them back at my expense for an exchange!  When I questioned this they insisted they won't pay for the return postage.

I don 't use colour ink in my printing so they are no value to me.  I wanted 4 black ones.  Is this right that I have to pay to return what I should have got in the first place?  What are my options here?  Thanks for any help.

[bicyclewhisperer]

forgot to mention...they are an Australian seller

[digital*ghost]

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@bicyclewhisperer wrote:

 Is this right that I have to pay to return what I should have got in the first place?  What are my options here? 

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No, I don't think it is right for a buyer to be out of pocket for a seller's mistake, and a lot of sellers will pay for return (eg if it was me, I'd send the correct cartridges straight away with a pre-paid satchel for return so you didn't have to wait longer than necessary and had no out of pocket expenses), but unfortunately there are others who won't and there isn't really anything practical that can be done about it (not to get compensated for the return postage, anyway).

The only real options are to either return the colour cartidges to get the black ones, or open an item not as described dispute if you paid via PayPal, returning all cartridges via trackable post - that provides proof of postage - at your expense, in order to get a full refund of the original payment, then buying elsewhere after leaving accurate feedback.

[bicyclewhisperer]

Thanks DG.  Yes, I paid with Paypal.  I'm thinking I'll open a dispute and returning the lot....then buying from someone else.  And I will be leaving very appropriate feedback for sure.  Will tracking be enough for Paypal to prove I've returned the lot?

[digital*ghost]

To absolutely guarantee you meet PayPal's requirements, I would advise using a postage method that provides documented proof of postage to the address they give you (something on paper that you can scan and upload, or PDF of a Click & Send label), plus make sure it's lodged at a post office so that you have at least one scan event proving it's in the mail system.

The cheapest way to do that is Click & Send at $6.95 (otherwise you'd probably have to pay an extra $2.95 for signature on delivery). If you have access to eBay flat rate satchels, you can process, pay for and print out a label at home, then lodge at a PO, or you can also use your own packaging but then you need to pay for the label at the post office (just make sure you save a copy of the PDF with the label, then upload it along with the tracking number - if you need to use your own packaging, you also need to make sure the staff at the PO know how to process it properly without assigning it a new tracking number). 

[bicyclewhisperer]

Got it, thanks DG!  Great advice.  I'll let you know the result of it all in this thread (whenever that may be).

[chameleon54]

Got to admit I did the same thing myself a few weeks ago. Sent one wrong item in an order. Worst part was the customer was from the USA. I appologised and told them to keep the item sent by mistake ( which was of some use to them ) and sent the correct item at my expense. They seemed happy with this result and left nice feedback. 

[phorum_junkie*]

There are a lot of us who actually state in our return policy that we will pay return postage if it is our mistake, look for those sellers.

As for this one I would probably keep the coloured ones and list them on ebay myself as colour ones are usually more expensive than black anyway. I would also leave them very well worded feedback!